


When They Picked Up Carter

by TaraTyler



Series: SuperCat Fam [9]
Category: Supercat - Fandom, Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, Family Feels, SuperCat family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-27
Updated: 2016-04-27
Packaged: 2018-06-04 22:35:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6678031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TaraTyler/pseuds/TaraTyler
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cat and Kara pick Carter up from a sleepover<br/>Things come to light<br/>Secrets are revealed<br/>Kara somehow found Marley Rose from Glee's hat<br/>oops</p>
            </blockquote>





	When They Picked Up Carter

Kara panicked immediately upon waking up and finding herself alone. The terror waned once she was awake enough to recognize the smell of bacon wafting through the air and the sound of Cat’s steady heartbeat in the kitchen. She took a second to steady herself before pushing herself to get out of bed and into a shirt. Kara padded quietly into the room and slid her arms around Cat’s waist, kissing that spot at the base of her throat that she was particularly fond of Cat leaned back in Kara’s embrace and reveled in the moment for a long while.

“I think that I’ve made enough to stave off the legendary Kryptonian appetite I’ve heard so much about.” Cat says proudly.

“You might should get whatever you want out of the way first, just in case I prove you wrong again.” Kara replies with a grin. Cat had seriously misjudged her appetite, and she inhaled all of the food in about three seconds flat. The late night before had certainly helped her to be even hungrier after.

“When does all of that even go?” Cat asks, wide-eyed and amazed.

“Fighting crime and fetching lattes.” Kara shrugs the question off. “You… and the Fort Rozz escapees; combined you burn all of it.”

This is followed by a wink that makes Cat’s heart stutter a bit. She isn’t quite sure what caused her to turn into a high-schooler with a crush all of a sudden.

“So, you wanna pick your boy up and take him out for an early lunch?” Kara offers. “Probably somewhere quiet where I can answer whatever hundreds of questions the two of you can come up with for me.”

“Alright, but after the two of us need to go into the office.” Cat says. “Your temps have all been incompetent fools and I’ve had to do literally everything by myself.” 

“That sounds like a plan. Get to play today and work tomorrow.” Kara grins a skips off to dress while Cat texts her son that they would soon be coming for him.

“He’s going to be so happy to see you.” Cat says, feeling pleased with Kara’s plan for the day, and apparently for the next as well. Kara comes out of her room and Cat’s pretty sure that her outfit should be made illegal.

It’s a simple blue shirt, buttoned up, with different shades in a plaid design. It made her eyes pop from all of the way across the apartment. It was loose over her jeans, only slightly ripped in places, but hugging her in all of the right places. Cat made a mental note to pay more attention to Kara’s butt from now on. Her hair was in a tight pony-tail, a fun little page boy cap in her head.

“Are you planning on selling my papers on the streets for me now?” Cat teases, flipping Kara’s cap up.

The blonde girl sticks out her lip in a pout.

“I’ve loved this hat since high-school; be nice to it. It has been through a lot with me. Plus, it’s hot outside.” Kara fixes it and Cat leans up to kiss her.

“You look cute, honey.” Cat says wit her own charming grin…

“I do my best.” Kara’s smile grows and Cat can’t help kissing her… again. Kara chases her when Cat pulls away, so the older woman grabs her hand and drags her out, giggling all the while.

Kara kind of hates cars a lot. It reminds her too much of the pod. She spent twenty-four years of her life in. They are small and cramped. She’s never really talked about it to anyone, because it’s National City and she doesn’t often have to be in a car. Plus, she can fly and a car has never been necessary. She squirms anxiously in her seat and Cat notices, reaching her hand over and wrapping it around Kara’s.

“Babe... you alright over there?” Cat asks.

“I’m good, kinda claustrophobic, though. I’ll be fine.” Kara squeaks.

“You didn’t have to ride. I’d have been okay if you flew and met me there as long as you didn’t get caught.” Cat murmurs soothingly, her thumb tracing patterns over the back of Kara’s hand.

“I’m okay, this is something that I need to get over anyway.” Kara mutters, her foot tapping a mile a minute.

“If you aren’t comfortable with something; anything, tell me. I want you to feel okay talking me, Kara. If cars are a no-no for you, I want to know that.” Cat says, using the term that was lovingly used for Carter’s triggers. “If there are any other no-no’s I want to know about them.” Cat says pointedly. She has discovered from spending more and more time with Kara that while she has a lot to say, she doesn’t open up easily. It takes a lot of prying and a certain kind of mood to convince Kara to talk about something serious about herself.

“I’ll try to do better. I’m not comfortable with small spaces. I take the stairs up CatCo whenever no one is around to see, or I get up early so that I can enter via the balcony.” Kara blushes. She’s embarrassed by her weaknesses, Cat decides. Kara is so used to needing to be the strong one, indestructible even, that she doesn’t want to admit a fear. “Ummm… there’s also loud noises. Like doors slamming shut or loud popping noises, explosions…they make me feel like I’m leaving Krypton again, or that I’m mid-battle with one of my various and copious enemies. I’ve even lost control of the heat vision because Alex let one of the cabinets slam shut”

Cat grips Kara’s hand a bit harder, considering the fact that what Kara was talking about reminded her a little bit too much of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. She filed that thought away to mull over later. Kara’s muscles flexed under the soft blue material. Cat knew that this was much more serious than her girlfriend was letting on. After her own experience with veterans and soldiers in war-zones as an investigative journalist, she knew that PTSD was a real thing.

The pair pulled up in front of Carter’s friend’s house, and Cat typed out a quick text to Lois Lane. Kara studies her hands in her lap, clenching and unclenching it into a fist. Their hands looked just the same, Cat’s and Kara’s. The difference was that Kara could carry an entire car in hers, or hold a bomb until it exploded, no worries. Cat’s was not indestructible. Hers could be destroyed with a five pound weight. Still, Cat felt that where it mattered, deep inside of themselves, they matched perfectly.

Cat pulled Kara’s fingers out of the fist, extending them into a flat palm, one-by-one. She smoothed it out until the girl relaxed. She held out her own and placed Kara’s over it.

“You can feel my heartbeat, right? It’s slow and smooth and rhythmic. Now, look into my eyes. You can feel it pick up. That’s excitement, it picked up because I love you. You, however, are not the only thing that makes my heart race. Fear can too. Heights… like when you saved me that time or when you tossed me off of my building. When Livewire attacked. Fear is a part of being human and despite your Kryptonian DNA and your cape, you are allowed to be afraid. Now, let’s go pick up out boy. I can’t wait to see his face when he sees that you’re back.” Cat says decisively, dark brown eyes boring into Kara’s brilliant blue ones.

“Yeah, he probably won’t be as excited as me though. I just… I really love him. Maybe my greatest fear besides being unable to save the world at some point, is messing up with him. You’ve done so well already and the only experience that I have with children is pulling them out of burning buildings.” Kara scoffs.

“Carter loves you, Kara, and you are fantastic with him. If I haven’t screwed him up already, there is no way that you can.” Cat reassures her again.

They ring the doorbell and a stampede of children greets them. They’re all wearing grins and about to burst with excitement., the sight warms Kara’s heart considerably. Then the crowd of little boys parts like the Red Sea as a shout of Kara’s name rings out and Carter comes rushing through, occasionally going so far as to shove people out of the way. He throws his arms around the younger blonde, clinging to her waist.

“You’re okay?” he asks, his eyes looking so much like Cat’s that it hurts.

“Now that you’re with us.” she replies, and means it more than she ever expected that she would.

“Go thank your hosts and we can go somewhere to talk.” Cat kisses his head before sending him off. Her son is nothing if not the epitome of politeness.

“I’ll fix a picnic and we can meet in National Park.” Kara suggests. She doesn’t want to get back into the car if she doesn’t have to.

“That sounds great. Carter will love it.” Cat agrees.

“Do you think that he’ll be angry? I’ve basically been lying to him since we met.” Kara asks anxiously.

“He’ll forgive you just like I did. It isn’t like you haven’t had your reasons. He loves both sides of you already. It’ll all be alright.” Cat is growing kind of frustrated with Kara’s insecurities but realizes that there isn’t much that she can do about them. She can understand her need for Carter’s acceptance. Having him love you can mean a lot to a person; even though he was just one teenage boy.

Kara waits to hug Carter and explain where she was going, before trotting off down a deserted side street of the neighborhood. The appearance of Supergirl over the city distracts Cat’s son from Kara’s absence. If she didn’t know that he was about to find out about Kara’s alter ego, Cat would almost feel sorry for him. Instead, she ruffles his hair in that way he’s convinced that he has outgrown.

“Let’s go, buddy. Kara and I have some things that we want to tell you.” Cat says.

“Is this about why she left? You aren’t breaking up are you?” he asks, a twinge of panic in his voice.

“Yes and no. I won’t be letting her go any time soon. I’m rather attached to her and I really don’t want to have to train a new assistant.” Cat scoffs.

“You love her and you know it.” Carter rolls his eyes and Cat has to remind herself that he’s almost a man now. He picks up on a lot more than she gives him credit for. “The office would miss her. You’d miss her. I’d miss her. CatCo would explode.”

“As usual, you are ring on all counts.” Cat smiles proudly at the pride and joy of her life.

“I hope that she and Lois get along. I know that Clark was her last blood relative I know that Clark was her last blood relative and that that has to hurt a lot, but maybe they can be good for one another? I don’t know much about loss, but I doubt that it good for you to be alone like that.” Carter considers aloud and Cat’s eyebrows shoot up. “I wonder if she heard what Supergirl said. ‘The sun of our lives.’ They both lost everything on the same day and I think that that is really sad. What about you, Mom?”

“I think that you are much too smart and kind for your own good.” Cat smiles softly. “We did find out some good news yesterday, though. Lois Lane is having a baby. Clark’s child and a family member...by blood, for Kara. Still, she has Winnifred, Alex, James, Lucy, Eliza, and Hank. Kara has family. We’ve just added two new members to the group.”

“And the two of us.” Carter adds.

“Yes my little man, and us.” Cat agrees. “ She loves you, you know. Kara wouldn’t have left for the past weeks if she’d thought it would hurt you. It was… complicated.”

“So, you’ve said and I have my questions for her ready to go since you wouldn’t answer me.” Carter says and Cat thinks that she may have spoken too soon in regards to his anger. There’s a fire there that she isn’t sure she’s ever seen in him before. Maybe her son will follow her footsteps after all. She pulls in and sees Kara out in the grass with a blanket and a basket. Her hat is beside of her and she runs her fingers over the brim in an anxious manner.

Carter pulls away from Cat, then and runs to Kara, sliding to a stop once he hits the blanket. Cat can’t help her joyful laugh as he underestimates his momentum and bowls Kara over. The cap flies out of Kara’s hands as her arms envelope the thirteen year old, bringing him close, her chin resting on his head. Cat loves the way Kara loves Carter. No one ever before had gotten him to warm up to them like that. It pulled at her heartstrings as she retrieved Kara’s beloved high-school has and settled it on her head.

“Is this because you’re going to leave me again? Dad always takes me out to do something special before he gives me bad news.” Carter asks, looking up at Kara with Cat’s eyes through long eyelashes.

“Carter, I… I might not always be here, you know right where you can see me, but I will always be with you. I love you and your mother very much. You’re my family and that means so much to me, having a family. I’m not ever going to leave you, not really.” Kara promises.

“Not as long as you want me in your life.” Kara pronounces. “That’s why I’ve decided to tell you my secret.”

“If it’s that Santa, the Easter bunny, and the Tooth Fairy aren’t real, then I already know.” Carter deadpans.

“No, that’s not it, but it took me way too long to figure that out myself.” Kara laughs. She looks around, just to be sure that they’re alone, and unbuttons her shirt just enough for.

“Kara, there are a few things that I really don’t need to… holy shit.” he exclaims.

“Carter Grant! You watch your language, young man!” Cat snaps immediately.

“But Mom, you’re dating Supergirl.” he protests, smile wide. “So that means… on that train?!”

Kara nods the affirmative to him. “You’re my best helper.” she grins.

“But I told you that I…” his cheeks glow a rosy shade of red.

“That’s not as bad as what you told me about her legs.” Cat chuckles.

“Mom!” he protests with a shout and wide eyes.

“You see, Carter. I never actually left you and if you felt that way, then it was never my intention. My people… Kryptonians, have a different kind of grieving period than humans that I would be glad to explain to you if you wanted.” Kara says softly. She watches his face closely for tells as he considered everything that he had been told. His face was filled with wonder and excitement like he had just solved a puzzle that had been bothering him for a long time. Then he looked sad and wide eyes stare up at her again.

“I am very sorry for all of your losses. I can’t imagine… you were my age weren’t you?” he asks, a hand reaching out to Cat’s for comfort.

“Thank you, Carter. That means a lot to me. I was twelve when I came to Earth, sent to protect Kal-El from this place. When I got here, I had been stuck in the Phantom Zone for twenty-four years and it was too late. Kal rescued me and left me to live with the Danvers family, who were everything that I could have asked for and more. Kal-El was a great man, even without my protection.”

“Kal-El… that’s Superman’s real name? His alien name? Do you have a Kryptonian name?” Carter asks, trying the foreign syllables out on his tongue.

“My name has always been Kara. Danvers belongs to the people who adopted me upon my arrival on Earth. I am Kara Zor-El, the last Daughter of Krypton.” Kara says as she reaches into the basket that she had brought and passed out sandwiches. 

“You both have El in your dames. Does that mean something?” Carter asks and Cat raises her eyebrows, pride streaking through her. Her son was probably the smartest boy in the world.

“You know the ‘S’ on the suit? It’s not actually an ‘S’. It’s the crest of the House of El. It means hope and strength. Some translate it to mean ‘Stronger Together’.” Kara explains. “Superman never really got that part.”

“Your cousin that died; Clark Kent the reporter. He was Kal-El.” Carter comes to the realization on his own. Even Cat Grant herself hadn’t been able to put those two together and get four.

“You’re exactly right.” Kara says, pride and grief in her voice.

“So, Lois’s baby…” Carter muses.

“Is Clark’s but we don’t know how it’ll turn out, yet. My sister is running tests. The agency she works for helps me out from time to time, and Alex is a leading expert in xenobiology.” Kara says with a heavy sigh.

“Alex is super smart she won’t let anything bad happen.” Carter says definitively. Kara appreciates that faith in her sister. She has known that feeling throughout her life.

“So, you’ve spent the past three weeks in the sky.” Carter is establishing facts. It’s how his mind works, his world has been flipped and now he needs to establish what is true. Kara can understand and relate.

“Yes, the three week mourning period is a part of my culture. However, the stillness and quiet was a part of me, and just me. It’s important to me to have that. It was a choice on my part. It helps me to process and understand.” Kara says. “It might have something to do with my years living in that pod; half conscious. Still, it brought me to you two and Alex and the others so i don’t mind.”

Kara spent the next two hours answering Carter’s questions and relaxing. It was everything that she had ever needed after what had gone on before. Carter’s innocence and Cat’s looks of pride and love. They made her feel whole and loved. It made her feel like home in a way that had been missing since Jeremiah’s death. Then, the only person that had been missing from it all beeped in.

“I know that you’re taking some time off for yourself and all… but, this is pretty bad. He’s claiming to be a ‘destroyer of world’s’ and there are fireballs and things. The DEO can’t keep up.” Alex says and Kara can hear her heavy breathing, along with the roar of fire in the background.

“There’s a fire and an alien. Do you mind if I…” Kara begins but Cat cuts her off.

“Go. Do your thing. Save lots of lives and stay safe.” Cat nods.

“Come back, okay?” Carter asks, eyes worried.

“I’m indestructible, remember?” she reassures him, kissing the top of his head and Cat’s lips gently once each. At a slow jog she heads to the car as though she had forgotten something before ducking into an alley. Not a minute later, Supergirl’s streak of blue and red can be spotted in the sky.

“I told you that Kara was cool.” Carter tells his mother with their trademark grin.

“That you did, Carter. There was another thing about her legs…” she teases to take her mind off of her worry.

Carter jumps her then, fingers tickling at her sides.


End file.
